Putin To Visit China 16-17 May

(MNI) London - The Chinese Foreign Ministry has confirmedthat Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit the country from 16-17 May, marking Putin's first overseas trip since his inauguration for another six-year term in office earlier in May. Russian state-run media reports that Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will hold talks followed by the signing of 'some documents'. Putin will visit the cities of Beijing and Harbin on his trip, where he will also hold talks with Premier Li Qiang to discuss cooperation in the economic and humanitarian fields.

• Maintaining strong diplomatic and economic links with China is absolutely crucial for keeping the Russian war machine running. Indeed, even the recent replacement of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu with Andrei Belousov has been noted in its context of China relations, with the FT calling the new minister "an economist with deep ties to the Chinese leadership."
• China's position as a source for dual-use goods for use in the Russian war economy, to its role in de-dollarising the Kremlin's financial system and shifting reliance on the US dollar and the euro to the renminbi.
• The Chinese gov't continues to deal with entreaties from the West calling for Beijing to draw back its 'no limits partnership' with Russia. The substantial decline in Chinese exports to Russia (down 16% y-o-y in March and 14% y-o-y in April) could hint at this strategy beginning to bear fruit.